Leadership Toolbox: the Checklist

[May 14, 2018] Most of us associate checklists with pilots getting ready for takeoff or with home inspectors going through a house to verify it is ready for occupancy. Leaders also use checklists and they do so as a matter of course; one that is customized to their needs and a necessary part of their toolbox.

“The checklist is one of the most high powered productivity tools ever discovered.” – Brian Tracy, Canadian-American motivational public speaker

Checklists are a crucial fit in the leadership toolbox. It affords us with a specific, item-by-item list of things that must be done before, during, and after a task has been assigned. Such a list must be specific, simple enough to ensure its effectiveness if used properly, and updated.

Good checklists are efficient, to the point, and easy to use even in the most difficult situations. They don’t spell out every step but provide reminders of the most critical and important steps that could be missed. They are, above all, practical.

It may be a stereotype but our military leaders make extensive use of a variety of checklists. As readers of this blog know, I’m retired military. The other day I was going through some of my things and I found my combat helmet that I had used while in the Iraq War. Stuck inside were two checklists I had used on a daily basis, as one of the senior Coalition Engineers back in 2006-07.

As you would expect, the U.S. Army has hundreds of checklists depending on the situation. Several that are really good are contained in their most recent “Leader Handbook” and can be found in PDF format (see link). Just search under the word “checklist” and several popups provide good examples.

32 thoughts on “Leadership Toolbox: the Checklist”

Whether a checklist is mental or physical, they still work. My personal way is to have written checklists and they come in many forms; some detailed, some not. What I find that works best is a small notepad where I’ve taped them in so I can easily see an outline of the main tasks I have to do. In other cases, when I work as part of a team, we have more complex and comprehensive SOPs that contain detailed checklists.

Not that long ago I retired from the business world and having worked in several major cities in the US (like LA, Chicago, and Cleveland), I find that “real leaders” are not afraid of using whatever tool is available to help them. If they had to wear pink underwear to make them better, they would do it and do it unabashedly.

Gen Satterfield is very good at taking suggestions just like those who recommended this topic. He welcomes them like any good leader who listens. Send him suggestions any time or send him a draft article like I did. Now, I’m a regular.

It wasn’t that long ago that I made the mistake of not using my well-worn checklist (I’d printed it on paper) to coach my team on one of our toughest games against our rival across town. We were defeated. Not having my checklist made the contest extra hard on me by forcing me to think harder and, in doing so, I missed a number of opportunities. Had I used the checklist I believe I would have been a better coach that day and we might have won the game.

Anyone reading today’s article and were in the military at any rank and at any time knows that the military mandates the use of various checklists for many of the tasks they perform. When you’re tired and overwhelmed these checklists are invaluable; especially for the leader whose tasks are more complex. Thank you for this article today Brig Gen Satterfield.

In the medical field, we use them all the time. Nurses are known for their checklists and actually make them part of their routine while out on the floor with patients. Just a few years ago they used to hang them from the bedside but with computers we are getting away from that. Nonetheless, we use them all the time. My favorite technique is to put mine on a clipboard.

I once met a Gunny Sergeant who thought he was too much of a big man to have to rely on such puny stuff as checklists. One day he missed a part of an Operations Order (simple to do). He was red-faced about the whole thing as we all laughed at his mistake. Anyone of us could have made the mistake but it was easily avoided by him simply using a preprinted checklist.

Good post today on a very relevant topic. It matters not what our age, job responsibilities, … no matter what, checklists are another tool that helps all of us (not just leaders) to get through the day without those pesky problems coming up and bitting us in the rear.